Gimai Seikatsu - Volume 12 by Ghost Mikawa

Author:Ghost Mikawa
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2025-02-16T00:00:00+00:00

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Atami was, as expected, a major tourist destination. Despite still being relatively early in the morning, the area around the station was already fairly crowded, given it was the weekend.

We headed toward our bus stop, walking alongside the train tracks. The bus ride was a slow drive into the city, with the autumn-tinged colors of the mountains seeping in through the windows from the distance.

“The leaves on the mountains are starting to turn red,” Ayase-san said in a voice tinged with excitement as she gazed out at the scenery.

“It’ll be like another month before they’re fully red. Guess that’s when the real tourist season kicks in.”

“But it’s still beautiful even now. I wish I could’ve come here for fun instead for studying.”

“Is this your first time here in Atami?”

“Yeah. I mean, I don’t remember much from when I was really little, but I think it is. The only trips I went on after I grew older were school camps or class trips. You know… ’cause of my Mom’s work.”

I nodded.

Ayase-san’s mom’s job involved working at a bar, which naturally thrived on weekends. A quick weekend trip wouldn’t have been easy for them. Plus, after her father’s business failed and resulted in a strain on their family situation, going on family trips hadn’t really been an option either.

“When Saki was about to start junior highschool, I ended up becoming very busy myself.”

Akiko-san had told me that once, didn’t she?

It was probably around the time Ayase-san developed the personality she has now—one that struggles with depending on others and dogmatically focuses on independence.

“I want you to help her and make sure she doesn’t work herself into a corner too much. Even if you have to be pushy about it.”

It had been over a year since Akiko-san said that to me before I invited Ayase-san to the pool. She was reluctant at first back then, but she seemed to enjoy herself once we got there.

That’s right.

Watching Ayase-san at the pool that day made me realize my own feelings.

She had stretched her arms up toward the blue sky, clasping her hands together. Her body was relaxed and her expression had softened, as if she was finally letting go of the tension she carried with her. It moved something in my heart tremendously in that moment.

I couldn’t help but recall such a time as we sat side by side by the bus window, her profile reflected against the passing scenery. Her current expression overlapped with the one from back then.

Her home, school, even her part time job—these were all places that demanded her to not let her guard down. She was always hyper-aware of how her appearance came across to others. She paid close attention to her actions and words too.

But now she was away from those sources of pressure, and she wore a gentle smile, one that looked free of tension. It felt like I was seeing the face she often hid behind her armament.

I recalled the single photo of Ayase-san my old man had shown me before his remarriage.

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